Kyle Reese
sighed and leaned his head against the concrete wall of the barracks.
Living in the time he did, he should have been used to it by now: the
fighting, the machines, the constant fear, for everyone around.

It was only the great John Connor that kept
everything from falling apart, and even he had to work hard to keep
everyone from panicking and getting killed. Although he'd only met
the great leader once, this much he knew.

John Connor
was a legend. A hero. The kind of man that stories were created
around, myths and ballads created for. Whether it was his escape from
a SkyNet prison camp or his daring rescue of a half dozen trapped
soldiers, John Connor would never be forgotten.

As a child of
twelve, Kyle had already done more than kids who had lived before
Judgement Day had. At least according to Kyle's father. Kyle knew
how to make bombs, how to reload his gun as quickly as possible, how
to fight, how to survive, and how to spot a terminator.
Twelve-year-old kids before Judgement Day worried about schoolwork
and crushes, and getting out of school. Kyle had never been to
school, and never would be. He had learned to read from his mother,
and some simple math and other useful information, but he would never
learn about biology, algebra, or physics.

Kyle's
brother, Derek, was just as skilled as he was, and their father said
that they would become great soldiers. Sometimes he looked sad as he
said that. Kyle's mother said it was because their father wished
they could have gone to school and had the chance to do whatever they
wanted with their lives. Instead, they were automatically drafted
into the fight against the machines.

Now, as Kyle
waited for his father to return from the scouting mission he and a
few others, including the great John Connor, had gone on, Kyle
thought of his first and probably only meeting with John Connor.

Far from
being perfect, Connor was older than Kyle expected, and when he saw
Kyle and learned his name, he seemed sad.

"Hi,
Gen'ral Connor," was all Kyle could think of to say.

"Hello,
Kyle," said Connor, a note of sadness punctuating his voice.
Neither Kyle nor his family understood why.

Derek had
told him later that he sounded like an idiot – Kyle, that is, not
Connor. "That was all you could come up with to say? 'Hi, General
Connor'?"

Kyle snapped
at him, "Shut up."

Derek
laughed.

Now, the
brothers waited anxiously for their father to return. Their mother
sat with them, drilling Kyle on various pieces of information. Derek
listened to his mother's voice and his brother's answers.

The sounds of
gunfire and bombs were heard in the distance. Kyle's mother was
worried, Kyle could tell, despite what she told them. Derek tried not
to think, but Kyle could sense his tension too.

Their father
was with General Connor, and they should have been back by now. Kyle
tried to tell himself that General Connor wouldn't let anything
befall his men. He was too good, too smart, and much too quick for
the machines.

There were
footsteps and then sounds of metal on metal. Kyle jumped up and ran
out into the passageway – they were back.

The soldiers
walked back to their barracks, and their families. Derek was right
behind Kyle, their mother not far behind.

The men
walked past them, going to their wives and sons and daughters.
General Connor locked the door – a gesture more than anything; a
terminator could rip the door off its hinges if it wished. Kyle felt
as if Derek had suddenly kicked his feet out from under him. But he
hadn't. Kyle was still standing.

Their father
was not there.

Connor walked
slowly down the passageway, and when he saw the Connors, watching
him, he hung his head and said softly, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Reese,
Kyle, Derek." He took a deep breath, and Kyle struggled to retain
his composure. He would not cry in front of General Connor.

"He died
saving my life. I won't forget that. I owe him my life. He died a
hero's death."

Mrs. Reese
began to cry. She wrapped her arms around her sons from behind. Kyle
felt as if a terminator had him by the throat. As he watched Connor
trudge away, he recalled Connor's words: "He died a hero's
death."

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